Semi-Centennial History of West Virginia, by James Callahan, 1913 Church Devlopment - THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH This file was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm From the Semi-Centennial History of West Virginia, by James Callahan, 1913. pg. 532-534 THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH By Rev. Dr. James H. Flanagan, Grafton. According to the history of the Presbyterian Church given by Ogllvie, "There are in America 13 organizations of the Presbyterian and Reformed Order, holding to the Calvlnistic system of doctrine. They may be divided into three general classes: (1) those which sprang into existence inde- pendently on American soil; (2) those that were planted as branches of the Reformed Churches of the Continent, and continued for some time in or- ganic connection with these churches; (3) those which were organized as branches of the Scottish churches, and were long in affiliation with their Scottish parent churches. Of these the first to enter the continent in order of time was the Dutch Reformed. Next came the Scotch and Scotch-Irish population, which, combining with the Presby- terian element within English Puritanism that had found its way into New England, sprang into the strictly so-called Presbyterian Church in the United States of America." The church of the Presbyterian faith became a permanent organization whose influence early began to be felt in the land. At a meeting of the General Synod in 1758 the resolution was adopted that the Synods of New York and New Jersey, Philadelphia, Virginia and the Carolinas be created out of the General Synod. In 1802 the resolution was adopted that the Presbyterians of Hanover. Lexington and Winchester be constituted a synod to be known as the Synod of Virginia, that the Presbyteries of Redstone, Ohio, and Erie be constituted a synod to be known by the name of the Synod of Pittsburgh, and that the southern boundary of the Synod of Pittsburgh be from the mouth of the Scioto up the Ohio River to the mouth of the Great Kanawha, thence a line due east to the top of the Allegheny mountains. This surrounding was such as to build up the Presbyterian Church in the territory of West Virginia. The Synod of Virginia was to develop denominational interest in the southern part of Western Virginia, and the Synod of Pittsburgh was to look after the north- ern portion. The Presbytery of Redstone was very careful in looking after points where a church organization could be planted. Dr. Power, Dr. Fairchild and Dr. Stoneroad were faithful in their care of Morgantown Falrmont, Clarksburg, French Creek and other points. From such careful attention on the southeast, southwest and northern portion, many churches were built up in Western Virginia. From these sections came those who settled in Western Virginia, and who built up the churches that were scattered here and there throughout the territory. At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, almost the entire body of the Southern Presbyterian Church withdrew their connection from the old General Assembly, and united with the organization of the General As- sembly of the Presbyterian church in the Confederate States of America. The organization was effected at Augusta, Georgia, December 4, 1861. The second Assembly convened at Montgomery, Alabama, May 1, 1862, since when the meetings have been held at the same time as the meetings of the northern portion of the church. At the separation, it called upon the original body to make some arrangements with regard to the ministers and churches still remaining in connection with the northern General Assembly. It was a question that required some thought and planning. "What shall be done with them?" At the meeting of the General Assembly of the church in session at Peoria, Illinois, in 1863, the following resolution was adopted, viz;.: "That it be recommended that all the ministers in West Virginia south of the southern line of Pennsylvania extended to the Ohio river be detached from their Presbyteries, and formed into a new Presbytery to be called the Presbytery of West Virginia, to meet at Parkersburg on the 1st Tuesday of October next at ten o'clock A. M. to be opened with a sermon by Rev. H. W. Biggs, and that the Presbytery be attached to the Synod of Wheeling. On that day the Presbytery of West Virginia was organized with a dis- tinctive work with regard to the State of West Virginia. It was admitted that this seemed like a large work handed over to a very few men. But with the determination to follow out the direction of the General Assembly the Presbytery of West Virginia was organized. At its organization, it was said by one of the youngest members: "Let us grasp the opportunity that is ours, and do the best we can, and, by the blessing of God, sometime In the future we will see not only a Presbytery, but a Synod of West Vir- ginia." The action of the General Assembly tended to draw the lines be- tween the southern and northern elements more distinctly in the bounds of the state. From that time forth the two parties have remained dis- tinctly separate. To give the Presbyterian Church of the state Its proper standing, both parties must be considered. The southern church in West Virginia consists of Greenbrier and Kanawha Presbyteries, with some churches in the Winchester Presbytery. At the first meeting of the Presbytery of West Virginia the following statistics were reported: Ministers, 5; members 442; funds, benevolence, $129; congregational, $1,200. The work went on until the Presbytery of West Virginia had grown sufficiently to be divided into two Presbyteries. By action of the General Assembly at Buffalo, New York, May 28, 1902, the following reso- lution was adopted, viz.: "We recommend that the Presbytery of Washington be and hereby is divided on the state line, and that those ministers and churches which now belong to the Presbytery of Washington that are in the bounds of the state of West Virginia constitute the Presbytery of Wheeling; that the Synod of West Virginia be and hereby is erected, to consist of the Pres- byteries of Wheeling, Grafton and Parkersburg." According to the direction of the General Assembly the Synod of West Virginia was organized October 18, 1904. In comparing the statistical report of 1912 with that of 18'63, it shows that much growth has been made in the church. The report of 1912 was: members, 2,546; benevolence, $34,809; congregational funds, $105,775. Greenbrier Presbytery reported in 1912: members, 3,076; benevolence, $14,358; pastors funds, $12,669. Kanawha Presbytery reported: members, 3,268; benevolence, $14,375; pastors tundd, $12,855. The Presbyterian Church is very proud of Davis and Elkins College. This college was organized by the southern branch of the church, but since the organization of the Synod of West Virginia, composed of the northern churches, the two branches of the church have been united in the work and fellowship of the institution. The work of the Presbyterian church is moving on in a very prosperous way year by year, and is exerting an influence for good.